Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth (l.) and his wife Jennifer Rauchet.Image: keystone
Pete Hegseth renames his department the War Department. Now he is bringing his wife Jennifer Rauchet with him to the crisis team. Observers see a frightening sign.
May 5, 2026, 5:47 p.mMay 5, 2026, 5:47 p.m
Peter Riesbeck / t-online
This man has a mission. “Never give up” is the motto of Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth on Platform X. And the self-appointed US Secretary of War also acts accordingly.
“The age of politically correct, overly sensitive leadership that doesn’t want to hurt anyone is now ending at all levels,” Hegseth announced in September in a hastily convened group of US Army generals. At the same time, he expressed his “warrior ethos”: “From this moment on, the only mission of the newly reconstituted Ministry of War is: to wage war, to prepare for war and to prepare for victory,” said Hegseth at the military meeting.
Reports of tensions in the Pentagon
The former TV presenter Hegseth demands unconditional loyalty. The State Secretary responsible for the Navy, John Phelan, was the last to feel this. After criticism of the minister’s overstepping of authority, Phelan left – in the middle of the Iran war.
Now criticism of the minister is growing. There is talk of lonely decision-making rounds. “This is just chaos. It’s crazy,” the British newspaper “Guardian” quoted former top military officer Kevin Carroll as saying. The Washington Post had previously reported on tensions in Hegseth’s ministry.
Hegseth is increasingly walling himself up in the Pentagon. His younger brother Phil Hegseth, a former podcast producer, has an advisory position in the ministry. His office is set up in the so-called E-Ring, directly connected to the management level.
Unconditional loyalty to Donald Trump
The media are also reporting that Hegseth is increasingly bringing his wife Jennifer Rauchet with him to consultations. Critical minds were dismissed in droves. In the US Congress, the minister rejected criticism of his actions: Personnel decisions had previously been “focused on origin and gender in a way that I consider to be bad,” said Hegseth.
US President Donald Trump (r.) and his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.Image: keystone
Hegseth owes his position to his unconditional loyalty to US President Donald Trump. Like his special envoy Steve Witkoff or his son-in-law Jared Kushner, Hegseth also relies on family ties. Little by little, the Pentagon is being completely aligned with Hegseth. Since Hegseth took office last year, 24 high-ranking US military officers have had to leave.
Critics warn against restructuring the military and ministry. They recognize the agenda of “Project 2025,” a draft program for autocratic state restructuring in the USA.
Paul Eaton, a retired major general, warned in the Guardian:
“They want to create ideologically pure armed forces that obey the president and his defense minister unconditionally and whose oath is more to a person than to the constitution.”
Sources used:
- theguardian.com: “This is just a disarray” (English, chargeable)
- war.gov: Secretary of War Pete Hegseth Addresses General and Flag Officers at Quantico, Virginia (English)